In the 1860's, a group of French painters boldly rejected the current ideas about painting. Throwing off the shackles of tradition, they sailed against the winds of convention to a new world of loose color and perspective. The experts, and the public, were outraged.

“He was accused of commercialism and received little but abuse from public and critics alike. Younger peers called him passé” on Claude Monet

At the infamous "Salon de Paris" art show, held at the "Acedémie des Beaux Arts" (Academy of Fine Arts) in 1863, these artists and their bold new methods were publicly shunned - and their works steadfastly rejected for the exhibition.

In April 1874, after a decade of consistent critical embarrassment, the “rejectionists” congregated to forge their own future. Calling themselves “Société Anonyme des Artistes, Peintres, Sculpteurs, Graveurs” (“Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Engravers, Inc)” the outcasts opened an exhibition completely independent of the official Salon (they had until this point been exhibiting in the “Salons des Refusés” - for works rejected for the main exhibition).

This would to be the first independent group show of works by the rejectionists and the public came to mock the exhibition - and the artists.

The conservative press did their best to ignore it but the rejectionists - including Cézanne, Pissarro, Renoir, Degas, Monet and Van Gogh - were steadfast.

These outcasts - whom the experts and critics had rubbished - would become known as the “Impressionists”. As with their brushwork, their remarkable influence on the world of art can only now be truly appreciated - from a distance.*

This all seems quite scandalous of course. How could the “experts” get it so badly wrong? Had the internet existed back in the 1860s, the Impressionists would surely have made their mark much sooner! It seems logical that the world would simply not have tolerated such behavior by the authorities.

Right?

Some time ago Prof Tim Noakes suggested that “social media will change the face of medicine forever.” It seems almost prophetic that Noakes himself is now being cast as a medical rejectionist by the “experts” of medicine.

His proposal that young children should eat real food was a loose brush stroke by a Real Food Impressionist on the modern day canvas that is Twitter.

How dare he?

The experts are outraged. The Impressionists are back! These medical misfits, outcasts and crazies are lead by Noakes. But they are stoical - and they are are changing lives for the better.

The “Salon de Medicine” wants to cast them out, strike them off and cull their influence. And they want to start with Noakes.

But this is not the 1860s.

Professor Tim Noakes MD has been reported to the HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa) for advising a mother on Twitter to wean her baby onto a LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) diet and will be facing a hearing on the 4th and 5th June 2015 to face charges of disgraceful conduct on social media.

A public petition to support Prof Noakes has been initiated and will be presented to the HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa).

You can support the Real Food Impressionists and Prof Tim Noakes by signing that here.

*In 2012, the tiny, oil-rich nation of Qatar purchased a painting by an artist the all powerful Salon had rejected every year between 1864 - 1869. The artist was Paul Cézanne and the painting - The Card Players - sold for more than $250 million.